10% Happier With Dan Harris

How do you stay engaged without getting consumed? That's one of the central questions in this conversation between Dan and high-performance psychologist Dr. Michael Gervais.  Together they explore:  working at your edge in meditation, panic disorder, and professional life why love might be the most important skill we can develop  navigating rage in difficult political times and the Ideal Competitive Mindset — a concept Dan found surprisingly useful.  Originally recorded for Dr. Gervais' podcast, Finding Mastery, this one turned into a real back-and-forth.   Join Dan's online community here Follow Dan on social: Instagram, TikTok Subscribe to our YouTube Channel   To advertise on the show, contact sales@advertisecast.com or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/10HappierwithDanHarris

In this episode, Dan takes live questions from subscribers to the 10% with Dan Harris app. Topics include: meditating through grief and serious emotional pain, the hidden addiction to feeling calm during meditation, how to find focus and concentration without straining so hard you get a headache, whether guided meditations are just "training wheels," and how to practice when ADHD or restlessness makes sitting still feel impossible. Throughout, Dan returns to a central theme: the point of meditation isn't to feel any particular way — it's to relate differently to whatever is already there. To join the live Tuesday sessions, sign up for a free 14-day trial at danharris.com. Get the 10% with Dan Harris app here Sign up for Dan's free newsletter here Follow Dan on social: Instagram, TikTok Subscribe to our YouTube Channel LinkedIn:  Spend $250 on your first campaign on LinkedIn ads and get a $250 credit for the next one. Just go to linkedin.com/happier. To advertise on the show, contact sales@advertisecast.co

The two practices that helped turn this self described scowling, sarcastic skeptic into an expert meditator.   Devin Berry is a Core Guiding Teacher at the Insight Meditation Society and a residential retreat teacher at IMS and Spirit Rock. A meditator since 1999, his practice is rooted in long-term retreat practice and the mettā and vipassanā teachings of the Insight Meditation tradition.    In this episode we talk about: Why mindfulness alone is not enough How mettā is part of four related mental skills called the Brahma Viharas The story of how and why the Buddha (according to the legend) invented mettā practice The role and practice of generosity A year long experiment that Devin ran in mettā and danā And lastly, how these practices can help us both on and off the cushion   This episode originally aired on July 31st, 2024.   Get the 10% with Dan Harris app here Sign up for Dan's free newsletter here Follow Dan on social: Instagram, TikTok Subscribe to our YouTube Channel Thanks to our sponsors:  LinkedI

What it really means to feel loved, and why many people who are loved don't feel it. Sonja Lyubomirsky is a preeminent happiness expert and Distinguished Professor of Psychology at the University of California. Harry Reis is one of the world's leading experts on relationships and Dean's Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Rochester. They are the authors of: HOW TO FEEL LOVED: The Five Mindsets That Get You More of What Matters Most. In this episode we talk about: What it really means to feel loved, and why many people who are loved don't feel it An antidote to loneliness  A broader definition of love beyond romance Why feeling loved may be the true key to happiness How feeling loved is more in your control than you think The "relationship seesaw": lifting others up to feel loved yourself The power of curiosity, listening, and reciprocity Why dropping emotional armor is necessary for real connection Practical tools for feeling more loved Tips on asking better questions and showing

A conversation with meditation teacher Jay Michaelson about what to do when you're constantly tired, fried, and running on empty. If you feel exhausted seemingly all the time—whether it's a low hum or something louder—you're not alone. In this conversation, Jay Michaelson, our Teacher of the Month for February, talks with executive producer DJ Cashmere about the relentless fatigue so many of us are experiencing, and what actually helps. We talk about: Why your first move should be self-compassion (not self-blame)—especially in a culture obsessed with sleep optimization The important oscillation between being with difficulty versus reaching for an antidote HALT: the acronym that can save you (Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired) How to investigate exhaustion without trying to fix it right away Practical antidotes: screen hygiene, micro-naps, and yes, brain machines How our Stone Age brains are being hijacked by tech companies Why nap shame is "pure garbage" and you should kiss it goodbye The social co

A live Q&A session with meditation teacher Jeff Warren, where Dan and Jeff tackle some of the hardest questions in meditation and life. Jeff Warren is a meditation teacher, author, and co-founder of the Consciousness Explorers Club. In this live session recorded on Zoom with subscribers to the 10% with Dan Harris app, Jeff and Dan take questions about insomnia, chronic pain, caring for aging parents, existential fears for loved ones, and what to do when your meditation practice feels stuck. We talk about: How to get equanimity around existential fears for your kids (which Jeff calls "the single hardest thing in human life") Why acceptance is a terrible word and equanimity is better The difference between doomsday spirals and what's actually happening right now Practical strategies for insomnia and chronic pain (including why your goal shouldn't be eight hours of unconscious sleep) What to do when you feel stuck in your meditation practice (hint: the plateau is normal) Three strategies for turn

How to become the wisest version of yourself.   Ryan Holiday is one of the world's bestselling living philosophers. His books, including The Daily Stoic, The Obstacle Is the Way, Ego Is the Enemy, Stillness Is the Key and his #1 New York Times bestselling series on the Stoic Virtues, appear in more than forty languages and have sold over 10 million copies. In this episode we talk about: The value of asking pertinent questions  How to create a second brain Finding a teacher for yourself How not to be a know it all Achieving focus through a morning routine  How to seek out criticism Learning how to die And much more   Related Episodes: Ancient Strategies For Managing Stress And Anxiety    Get the 10% with Dan Harris app here Sign up for Dan's free newsletter here Follow Dan on social: Instagram, TikTok Subscribe to our YouTube Channel Additional Resources:  Wisdom Takes Work  The Stoic Virtue Series The Daily Stoic   Dailystoic.com  Glorious Exploits     To advertise on the show, contact sales@adv

Our bodies are brilliant at healing. An integrative doctor on how to tap that resource. Victoria Maizes, MD, is the founding executive director of the Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine. Her new book is Heal Faster: Unlock Your Body's Rapid Recovery Reflex to Feel Better—Quicker.  In this episode we talk about: What integrative medicine is (and isn't)  How lifestyle, stress, sleep, and relationships factor into healing Why "a pill for every ill" often falls short What the Rapid Recovery Reflex is and why the body wants to heal The biggest things that block recovery in modern life Practical ways to improve our health, ranging from sleep to stress  Why patients have more power than they think How AI can help people ask better questions and work smarter with doctors Why what and when you eat matters How environmental toxins and social connection quietly shape our health more than we realize Tips for handling colds and flu more effectively Smarter ways to recover from pain and injuries Practical tools

A guided loving-kindness meditation from Jay Michaelson that ditches the phrases and uses visualization instead. If you've done traditional metta (loving-kindness) practice before, you know it involves bringing people to mind and repeating phrases like "May you be happy, may you be healthy." It's a great practice. But sometimes the words can get you stuck in your head—thinking about what would actually make this person happy, or getting into stories about their suffering. This version takes away the verbal element. Instead, you work with a visualization: imagining a warm, golden light in your heart center that you can extend outward. Fair warning: this involves imagination. If that makes you roll your eyes, that's fine. But as the Beatles said, "The love you take is equal to the love you make." It's worth a try. Jay Michaelson is our Teacher of the Month for February. Find more guided meditations and live sessions with Jay throughout the month in the 10% with Dan Harris app. Join Dan's online community here

Life hacks life from one of the busiest journalists of our time.   Andrew Ross Sorkin is an award-winning journalist for The New York Times, a co-anchor of CNBC's Squawk Box, and the founder and editor-at-large of DealBook, an online daily financial report published by The New York Times. His latest book is 1929: Inside the Greatest Crash in Wall Street History--and How It Shattered a Nation.   In this episode we talk about: The motivation behind his new book Human nature –– and why FOMO might be a good thing Personal finance hygiene  The true antidote to irrational financial decisions How to cope with financial stress Practical tools to stop mental spiraling  The "Would It Help?" mantra The role of Transcendental Meditation (TM) in Andrew's life Productivity hacks and life routines Calendar blocking vs. to-do lists  How much you should ––or shouldn't–– share or disclose about yourself with other people And much more Get the 10% with Dan Harris app here Sign up for Dan's free newsletter here Follow Dan o

Practical advice from a straight-talking former criminal and occasionally profane Dharma teacher.  Vinny Ferarro has practiced insight meditation (vipassanā) since the mid-90s. He's the Guiding Teacher of the Big Heart City Sangha in San Francisco and has led a weekly sitting group for almost two decades. As a fully empowered Dharma Teacher through Spirit Rock/IMS, he has taught residential retreats at various centers and currently leads Spirit Rock's Year to Live course.  This episode originally dropped in May of 2024, but we're re-posting it because it was one of our most successful episodes.  In this episode we talk about: Alignment Vinny's concept of "flashing your basic goodness" Noting practice The deep satisfaction in not seeking satisfaction Redirecting awareness Being an "empathetic witness" for yourself When to opt for distraction Not taking what's not yours  Vinny's ancestor practice What is the connection between seeing our family patterns and not taking what is not ours?   How loyal have we been

A smarter way to think about disease prevention. Dr. Tara Narula is a board-certified cardiologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in Manhattan and Chief Medical Correspondent for ABC News. Her new book is The Healing Power of Resilience: A New Prescription for Health and Well-Being. In this episode we talk about: What resilience really is, why most of us already have it, and how it can be strengthened The overlooked link between mental health, physical health, and recovery from illness Why mindset and acceptance matter as much as medical treatment when facing health challenges How resilience applies to major life changes, trauma, and chronic disease. Practical psychological tools for working with anxiety, fear, and repetitive thought patterns Why flexible thinking matters How to adapt when life doesn't go according to plan How beliefs, mindset, and the mind–body connection shape stress, healing, and resilience Why movement, sleep, and facing fear are essential ingredients in building real resilience How reframing id

A conversation with Jay Michaelson, our Teacher of the Month for February, about his path to meditation, navigating multiple identities, and why he calls himself a "cynical, sarcastic bitch." Jay Michaelson is a meditation teacher, journalist, rabbi, and author. In this conversation with executive producer DJ Cashmere, Jay gets candid about his unconventional path into meditation—driven initially by greed for mystical experiences rather than a desire to reduce suffering—and how his practice has evolved over 25 years. We talk about: Why Jay identifies as a "greed type" in Buddhist psychology (and what that means) How to balance worldly activism with contemplative practice without getting "hollowed out" The concept of creating a "permission structure" to live the life you actually want That moment of spaciousness between stimulus and response (and how it saved Jay when he got heckled during LGBTQ activism) Whether meditation can help save humanity—and why Jay is both cynical and hopeful about this H

A conversation with celebrated author George Saunders about his new novel, Vigil, and what fiction can teach us about empathy, self-awareness, and mortality. George Saunders is the bestselling, award-winning author of Lincoln in the Bardo, Tenth of December, and many other books. His new novel, Vigil, tells the story of a woman who died in 1976 and has spent the decades since comforting the dying—until she encounters a former oil executive responsible for early climate change denial. In this conversation, Dan and George talk about: Why George keeps writing about ghosts and the afterlife (hint: it's not just about mortality dread) The lavish empathy at the heart of Vigil—and whether we should extend that empathy even to people doing civilizational damage What George calls "warm metacognition"—the practice of dropping back out of your thought loops to examine what kind of goggles you're wearing How fiction can turn your mind into a "reconsideration machine" (and why that matters in real life) The diff

Practical techniques for dealing with all of life's curveballs.   Maya Shankar is a cognitive scientist and creator of the podcast A Slight Change of Plans, previously named "Best Show of the Year" by Apple. She served as a Senior Policy Advisor in the Obama White House and was also appointed as the first Behavioral Science Advisor to the United Nations. She is the author of The Other Side of Change: Who We Become When Life Makes Other Plans. In this episode we talk about: The two major life events that caused her to study the topic of change How to build a more expansive sense of self Practical tools for navigating change  Cognitive biases such as  "the end of history illusion" The utility of distraction and denial Tools for getting unstuck from rumination And much more Related Episodes:  The Science of Handling Uncertainty | Maya Shankar   Get the 10% with Dan Harris app here Sign up for Dan's free newsletter here Follow Dan on social: Instagram, TikTok Subscribe to our YouTube Channel To adv

How to have fewer regrets (and utilize the ones you already have).   Daniel Pink is the author of seven bestselling nonfiction books on a range of topics, from human motivation to the science of timing to a graphic novel career guide. His books include the New York Times bestsellers The Power of Regret, A Whole New Mind, and When—as well as the #1 New York Times bestsellers Drive and To Sell is Human.  In this episode we talk about: The myth of the "no regrets" philosophy  What a regret actually is  The very real benefits of regret The four core regrets people tend to have  Tools for dealing with regrets The importance of talking or writing about your regrets How to  create a "failure resume"  The Regret Optimization Framework  The crucial role of self-compassion and self-distancing And much more Related Episodes: 'When' Can Make a Big Difference   Get the 10% with Dan Harris app here Sign up for Dan's free newsletter here Follow Dan on social: Instagram, TikTok Subscribe to our YouTube Channel Ad

A conversation with self-described "worry warrior" Bart van Melik about working skillfully with everyday anxiety. Bart is a guiding teacher at the Community Meditation Center in New York and our Teacher of the Month for January. In this conversation with executive producer DJ Cashmere, he gets refreshingly honest about his own tendency to worry — and shares a bunch of practical tools for when your mind won't stop spinning through worst-case scenarios. We talk about: Why mindful breathing sometimes doesn't work (and what to do instead) The practice phrase "this wants to be seen right now" How to work with your aversion to worrying (which can be worse than the worry itself) Why talking about your fears with other people is so crucial The question "what is this?" as a low-barrier entry point to awareness How the Buddha's teaching on clinging shows up in anxious thinking Why community and sangha aren't optional extras If you want more from Bart, check out the 10% with Dan Harris app where he's got

Secrets to self-preservation in an age of burnout.   Tim Ferris is the author of five #1 New York Times bestsellers, including The 4-Hour Workweek and Tools of Titans. He's also the host of The Tim Ferriss Show podcast. Most recently, he has collaborated with Exploding Kittens to create COYOTE, a fast and hilarious card game.  In this episode we talk about: Tim's Antidotes to isolation Past-year reviews The perils of self-optimization His meditation practice Escaping rumitive loops  The role of Accelerated Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) The ketogenic diet  Talking to chatbots about your health And much more Get the 10% with Dan Harris app here Sign up for Dan's free newsletter here Follow Dan on social: Instagram, TikTok Subscribe to our YouTube Channel Additional Resources:  The New Frontiers of Mental Health — Brain Stimulation, Rapid-Acting Tools for Depression, and More All Things Ketones, How to Boost Cognition, Sardine Fasting, Diet Rules, & More — Dr. Dom D'Agostino TED: Why y

A road map for taking the pressure off.    Claudia Hammond is an award-winning writer and broadcaster. She is Visiting Professor of the Public Understanding of Psychology at the University of Sussex and is the presenter of BBC Radio 4's All in the Mind. Her latest book is Overwhelmed: Ways to Take the Pressure Off.   In this episode we talk about: How to define "overwhelm" – and modern causes for its existence Why the search for perfection is futile  Claudia's three-part recipe for handling overwhelm Antidotes for the comparing mind  What we should all know about procrastination  How to not let the news overwhelm you  What we learn from regret – and how to stop beating up on your past self A key technique for worrying less The case for nostalgia How to get into a "flow state"   Related Episodes: If You Want To Be More Productive, You Need More Rest. Here's How To Get It. | Claudia Hammond   Get the 10% with Dan Harris app here Sign up for Dan's free newsletter here Follow Dan on social: Instagram, Tik

What does success look like? A neuroscientist wants you to question your cognitive scripts.  Anne-Laure Le Cunff conducts research into the neuroscience of learning and curiosity at King's College London, and also runs Ness Labs. She is the author of Tiny Experiments: How to Live Freely in a Goal-Obsessed World.  In this episode we talk about: Her critique on our cultural obsession with "finding your purpose" The value of knowing your "cognitive scripts" Practical tools to live a more purposeful, curious, and fulfilled life Her mini-protocol for experimentation (based on the scientific method) Mindful productivity — and how it builds on moving us into an experimental mindset  Whether procrastination is actually the enemy? And tools to work with it. The upside of making space for your imperfections  Tips for navigating uncertainty  Why you want to avoid having too many experiments at the same time The main difference between a habit and an experiment How to learn alongside with other people — and why this mat